Non-refillable bottle.



Patented Dec. 4, |900.

J. A. FOSTER.

(No Model.)

N univ,

ils-.irren Sfrarns JAMES A. FOSTER, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

NONhREFlLLABLE BOTTLE.

SPECFCA'-ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,335, dated December4, 1900.

Application filed July 13, 1899. Serial No. 723,744. (No model.) i

To a/ZZ wtont t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. FosTER, of Tacoma, in the county of Pierce,and in the State of vVashingtom have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in Non-Rehliable Bottles; and l do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a verticalsection of the upper portion of a bottle embodying my invention; Fig. 2,a similar view, the bottle being inverted for pouring out its contents;Fig, 3, a horizont-al section on the line a; a; of Fig. l, Fig. 4, adetail view in perspective of the guard and one of its fastening springsor latches separated from each other, and Fig. 5 a side elevation of aguard having liquidpassages of a different form from those shown in Fig.4.

Letters of like name and kind referto like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention is the provision of simple andinexpeusive,but Whollyefficient means for preventing the fraudulentrefilling of bottles and like vessels; and to this end said inventionconsists in the guard and valve mechanism constructed substantially ashereinafter specified.

In the embodiment of my invention which I have selected for illustrationI provide in a bottle-neck A, at the inner en d thereof, a contractedpassage a., around the outer end of which is formed a valve-seat B,which is preferably ground and has a conical form. A conical valve C isprovided that closes the passage a to the ingress of liquid, but permitsegress of liquid from the bottle, being guided in its movements to andfrom the seat by wings c and c on its inner side, that enter the passaged, and a centrally-located stem cl on its outer side, whose outer endenters a central opening cl in a guard D in the bottleneck. Attached tothe valve-stem is a cupformed device E,whose open end is adjacent to thevalve, while its closed end is near the portion of the stem that entersthe guardopening d, and between such closed end and the guard D is ahard-rubber or enameledsteel spiral spring F, that presses the valveyieldingly to its seat. The guard has a recess (ll in its inner end,into which a portion of the spring extends and fits snugly. When thebottle is inverted to pour out its contents, the

weight of the liquid on the inner side of the q seat until every drop ofthe bottles cont-ents is poured olf. The capacity of the cup is suchthat when full of liquid its weight overhalances the pressure of thespring. It is apparent that without the cup the spring would move andhold the valve toits seat before all of the liquid could pass out, suchaction of the spring taking effect as soon as the diminution of thequantity of liquid in the bottle should make the liquid-pressure on thevalve unequal to the power of the spring. The open end of the cup issufciently close to the valve as to form acontracted passage, so that itwill be certain that the valve Will be seated before any liquid can runthrough from the cup into the passage a When the bottle is turned topour the liquid out of the cup into the neck, as is done to get theliquid remaining in the cup. The valve, Whose seatengaging surface isground, its wings, its stem, and the cup are all made of glass andmolded in one piece.

The guard D closely fits the neck of the bottle at a point sufficientlybelow the neck thereof to permit the use of an ordinary cork orstopper,and it is secured in place by means of, preferably, twodiametrically-opposite locking devices or latches G and G, each of whichconsists of a bowed spring-plate placed in a longitudinally-extendingrecess cl2 in the guard, with its ends engaging the respective ends ofthe recess, and a lug o: projection g between its ends engaging a cavityCt' formed in the neck of the bottle. The two latches are diametricallyopposite, and extending in line therewith diametrically across the outerend of the guard is a rather slight bar or rib d3, beneath which is acavity d4 in the guard, Whose diameter is such that it leaves a thinwall adjacent to the outer ends of the latchrecesses. By breaking downthe rib or bar,

which may be done by a proper tool because of its slight frangiblecharacter and the cavity beneath it, and by breaking away the thin wallsthe outer ends of the latches G and G may be exposed and renderedaccessible, so

IOO

that they, and thus the guard, can be removed and the valve taken out toenable the bottle and valve to be used again, a new guard only, thatcosts but little, being required.

Irregular or tortuous passages d5 and d5 are provided in the side of theguard for the liquid, the form I p'refer being one composed of twonon-alining longitudinally-extending portions starting from each end ofthe guard and connected between its ends by a transverse inclinedportion. This form permits the ready iioW of the liquid, but absolutelyprevents the insertion of a wire or the like past the guard. If desired,each groove may be given the V shape shown in Fig. 5.

In the use of my improvements the bottle,

without the guard and valve in place, is filled. The valve is now placedin the neck, being dropped to its seat. 'lhe guard, with the spiralspring held in the recess in its end and with the latches pressed intothe respective recesses in the guard, is next forced into the neck untilthe outer end of the valve-stern enters its opening in the guard and thelugs of the latches spring into engagement with their respectivecavities in the neck of the bottle.

The guard makes it impossible to tamper with the valve by means of aWire, and it would be impossible to fill the bottle when the valve isheld 0E its seat by the volume of liquid in its cup, for as soon as theliquid sought to be placed in the bottle should reach the valve theentire cup would thus be submerged or enveloped, and hence the springwould be free to act and the valve promptly seated.

Of course I do not limit myself to the details of construction shown anddescribed, as these will vary, especially in suiting the device tobottles for various liquids.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In a bottle, thecombination of a valve, aguard, and fastening means securing the guardto the bottle, the guard being readily frangible to give access to thefastening means, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a guard, fastening meanssecuring the guard to the bottle, and a frangible barrier adjacent tothe fastening means, by Whose breakage access to the latter is afforded,substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a bottle, the combination of a valve,

a guard, and fastening means securing the guard to the bottle, the guardhaving a cavity forming a thin frangible wall adjacent to the fasteningmeans substantially as and `for the purpose described.

4. In a bottle, the combination of a valve,

a guard, and fastening means securing the guard to the bottle, the guardhaving a part closing a passage by which the fastening means can beremoved, such part being connected to the guard by thin,readily-frangible Walls, and being capable of engagement through theneck of the bottle, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a guard, and fastening meanssecuring the guard to the bottle, the guard having a bar whose endsclose passages by which the fastening means can be removed, such barbeing connected to the guard by thin, readily-frangible walls, andhaving a space formed thereunder, whereby it can be engaged by a hookinserted inthe neck of the bottle, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

6. In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a cup attached to the Valvewith its open end directed toward said valve, a spring tending to seatthe valve, and a guard, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7.*In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a cup attached to the Valvewith its open end adjacent to and partly closed by said valve, a springtending to seat the valve, and a guard, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

S. In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a cup attached to the valve,such cup having its end adjacent to and partly closed by said valve andhaving its lip close to the valve-seat when the valve is closed, aspring tending to close the valve, and a guard, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

9. In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a cup attached to the valvewith its open end adjacent to the valve, a guard, a valve-stem enteringan openingin theguard, and aspring between the guard and the closed endof the cup, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this26th day of June, A. D. 1899.

JAMES A. FOSTER. Witnesses:

WV. L. SAoHsE, J. M. ASHTON.

